Auditor: City could save nearly $400,000 in park maintenance Auditor: City could save nearly $400,000 in park maintenance (December 09, 2005)

Contracting out would be cheaper; change could worry employee union

by Bill D'Agostino

The City of Palo Alto could spend less money maintaining its 31 parks each year if it contracted out more of the work, according to a new report from City Auditor Sharon Erickson.

Currently, contractors clean and repair half of Palo Alto's parks, mostly the smaller ones. But Erickson estimated that having more parks maintained by outside contractors could save the city nearly $400,000 a year.

"We think that's a conservative figure," she said.

Community Services Department Richard James, however, said the decision on whether to switch should take into account more factors than money. For instance, he said a contractor may not always provide the same level of service as a city employee.

"You've got to weigh all those things," James said.

Also, the city's largest union, the Service Employees International Union, Local 715, would have to be consulted.

"Fundamentally, we would be very concerned if city management starts contracting out services that are provided by city employees," said Phil Plymale, the union's chapter chair. "If this is something that doesn't makes sense and that is not being done in good faith, then we would confront management with that issue."

Next year, the city will seek bids from contractors interested in maintaining the parks and study those offers, James said.

Keeping the city's 262 acres of parks and athletic facilities clean and safe costs $4.9 million a year, according to the report, which the City Council's Finance Committee will discuss Tuesday night.

Overall, the auditor described the conditions of the city's parks as "very good." Erickson and her staff visited the parks in late summer. In the winter soccer season, though, some of the fields suffer greater wear and tear, James said.

"The holes in front of the goal -- once they start you can't stop them," he said.

The auditor's new report listed 22 recommendations to improve maintenance of the parks. One advised having the city set aside a small pot of money for emergency repairs. Recently, the city had to rely on such funds to make unanticipated repairs at two of its parks: Mitchell Park, where a tree fell on a playground and injured park-goers, and Peers Park, where the wooden play structure has been rotting.

The work at Peers Park had still not been done as of this week, and children were continuing to play on the damaged structure, despite it being taped off.

"Kids cross tape; they think its fun," Erickson said, expressing concern for their safety. "It's something else to play with."

Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.

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